


No, Jude!

by Jahmana



Category: The Folk of the Air - Holly Black
Genre: Cardan sees Jude again, F/M, Jude is an angry lil bean, Nicasia is still that Bitch, Now we got Lady Asha joining in on the fun, POV Cardan Greenbriar, Set during TQON, This is for you Protong, im bad at tagging
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 21:20:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29214054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jahmana/pseuds/Jahmana
Summary: She doesn’t look like a lady in a dress, she looks like a knight in a dress. It’s not Taryn, it’s Jude! My Jude!
Relationships: Jude Duarte/Cardan Greenbriar
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34





	No, Jude!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [protong](https://archiveofourown.org/users/protong/gifts).



> So sorry about some of the scenes. I don’t actually own TQON so I kinda had to improvise on what I remember from some of the scenes. I tried my best but some of them probably aren’t very accurate. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

I lay in bed, awaiting the trial in the morning. How can I face Taryn, the carbon copy of my wife? Seeing her around the palace with Locke was punishment enough, how can I speak to her without thinking of Jude? My Jude? God, Jude, what have you done to me? I can’t eat, I can’t sleep, I can’t even function without thinking of Jude. How dearly I miss her. Does she miss me? That’s ridiculous, how could she ever miss you? You who has hurt her and humiliated her for years now. You who married her, then turned around and betrayed her and allowed her to think that she means nothing to you. That it was all a trick. Heck, Jude’s probably cursing my name, finding relief in useless mortal men. Is she doing this to punish me? To hurt me for hurting her all those years? If so, it’s working. I remember that night in the room behind the dais. The way she clung to me, how she scratched and moaned, such sweet noises falling from her lips, making me want to collect them in a jar and keep them forever. Does she do the same thing with them? Does she do with them what we hadn’t done? Does she scream louder, moan their names instead of mine? Is she happier with them than she was with me? I roll over, wrapping my pillow around my head, trying to block those thoughts out. Jude would never settle for a mortal, she’s far too ambitious for that. Unless it’s to get back at me for what I’ve done. The mistake I made. Ugh. I loathe myself.

Nicasia has been crying for three days straight. I feel bad, I really do. For people’s eardrums. Damn this girl knows how to make a racket. I’m sitting on the throne, feeling the absence of my Senechal beside me now more than ever. How I wish Jude was here, scowling as I down goblet after goblet of wine, slowly sinking into the sweet familiarity of a drunken stupor. I think I’m a little drunk now. Regardless, I signal for the guards to let Taryn in and tell Nicasia to be quiet. “Taryn Duarte, Wife of Locke, you must stand in the place of the petitioners,” a guard says. I finally look up from my goblet, expecting to see Taryn and her obnoxiously ridiculous outfit, but there’s something different about her. Her shoulders are broader, her arms stronger. She doesn’t look like a lady in a dress, she looks like a knight in a dress. It’s not Taryn, it’s Jude! My Jude! My heart is going a mile a minute, waiting for her to look up at me. Her eyes are tracing the ground, probably avoiding my gaze. Does she not wish to see me? Of course not you idiot. She’s probably furious at you, just trying to find a way to get you back. But if that’s the case, does that mean she didn’t get my letters? “Taryn?” I question. Jude finally looks up to me and I feel my breath catch in my throat, she is far more beautiful than I remembered. And she’s wearing Taryn’s earrings, the ones that make her beauty increase ten fold. Ha! Did Taryn think this would make Jude look like her? Jude has always been more beautiful. Taryn must think a lot of herself, sending Jude here in her place so that she doesn’t get in trouble, even with the conditions of Jude’s exile. Wow. I mean my expectations were already low but Jeez. Anyway, the trial starts and she denies ever killing him, which isn’t a lie, and I understand that, but Nicasia can’t learn to keep her loud mouth shut and accept it. She’s been even more unbearable now that she’s gained my mother’s favor. They team up against “Taryn” and begin pinning this on Jude, insinuating she’s a bad sister, and yet none of them question how Taryn could marry the man who courted them both, too busy placing blame on my wife. I’m almost at wits end with these women and their entitled behavior. Then Jude speaks up. “Jude never loved Locke. She loves someone else. He’s the one she’d want dead.” I flinch. Jude loves someone. Someone else. Because of me she found a mortal, someone good for her who probably didn’t hurt her time and time again. “Enough. I have heard all that I wish on this subject. The trial is over.” I say, wishing to get to Jude, to find out who she's replaced me with. I’m about to dismiss everyone when an obnoxious voice rings through the air. “No!” It’s Nicasia. I give her a sour look and she shrinks back a bit. “Cardan, you cannot let her go unpunished. She could be wearing a charm.” A wicked smile found its way across my lips as I realized this would be the perfect moment to let everyone know who their Queen was. Nicasia smirked too, but I knew that soon it would be wiped off her face. “I suppose we could look for any protections on her body.” I say, looking at Jude. I can see panic slip through her indifferent mask for a mere second, but it seems I’m the only one who noticed the difference. It seems to have always been that way. Jude explains that she will not undress for the court's amusement so soon after her husband’s death, while she’s still grieving. “Very well. We shall do it in my rooms.” I say, and she looks taken aback. I panic for a moment. What if she thinks I want to see Taryn naked? What if we reach my chambers and she tells me how she hates me, how I disgust her. What if she becomes the Jude of my nightmares? Lost in thought, I don’t give the passing servant a second glance, not until there’s a crashing noise and I turn to see Jude on the floor, covered in whatever was on that platter. The servant leans forward to brush glass out of Jude’s hair. They exchange a few words, but it must be Jude being Jude. Either threatening the maid or offering to help. That’s Jude. My Jude. “Oh my Lady, do not worry. I will have this cleaned up.” The servant scurries away, leaving Jude looking dumbfounded. I’m not sure what she did, but they both look a little concerned. “My Lady, we must go.” A guard says. She nods and gets up. I turn my back and continue making my way to our rooms. I’m barely holding myself back from sprinting up the stairs, wanting desperately to see Jude again. I know she will try to keep up the facade, and if it comes down to it, I will have her strip. I nearly shudder, remembering what happened in that room once again, how I committed every scar, every imperfection to memory so that I may always have that moment in my head. If she’s naked, there’s no disguising her scars. If she’s naked, I will know her. We finally reach our rooms and the guards wait by the door. I walk in and flop onto the couch, watching as she stands there awkwardly. “Didn’t you get my letters?” I ask, lounging on the cushions. She looks confused. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, your Majesty.” She replies. “Jude, do you really think I don’t know it’s you?” I say with a smirk. She looks shocked again, her mouth opening slightly. She recovers quickly though. She tries to keep up the act, but my smirk just widens. “If you would like to undress, I won’t stop you.” I say suggestively. I see Jude still trying to keep it up, but watch as her face contorts from confused to furious, and my heart starts beating faster. There she is. “What game are you trying to play, Cardan?” She says, and for a moment I think I hear her voice quiver. “Jude? Are you afraid of me?” I ask hesitantly. She stares at me, like she doesn’t want to answer. Then there’s an explosion, and everything shakes. Jude and I both fall to the ground. She looks just as shocked as I do, but my eyes automatically narrow. She gets up and runs to the door. “Wait here.” She calls. Shit. “Jude, no!” I yell after her, but she’s already out the door. I go to chase after her, but by the time I reach the door, Madoc has put the cloth over her mouth and I see her stop fighting. It’s the last thing I see before my guards crowd me, blocking my view and pulling me away from the fighting. I try to yell for Jude, but no one can hear me over the fighting. White hot rage washes over me, and I feel the land react to my anger. I use that to my advantage. The soldiers in the brugh are about to have a really bad day.

**Author's Note:**

> Protong, this is for you. I’m gifting this to you because you’re the one who gave me the idea. Love you all so much! Hope you enjoyed! :)


End file.
